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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23130733">The Inspirational Symbiotic Kissing Lichen</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sajastar/pseuds/sajastar'>sajastar</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Venom (Movie 2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, Mistletoe, Other, humor with a side of fluff, it's technically my first rom fic wish me luck, nerdery disguised as story</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 07:15:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>592</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23130733</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sajastar/pseuds/sajastar</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Venom has a problem with mistletoe.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eddie Brock/Venom Symbiote</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>164</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Inspirational Symbiotic Kissing Lichen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Thanks to <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bakageta/pseuds/Bakageta">Bakageta</a> for betaing and brainstorming and <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarryEden/pseuds/StarryEden">StarryEden</a> for betaing! Also thanks to botanyshitposts on tumblr, whose <a href="https://botanyshitposts.tumblr.com/post/187842501704/whats-a-lichen-if-not-a-plant">post about lichen</a> inspired this story.</p><p>They/them pronouns for Venom.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>What is this and why is it over our door?</b>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie stepped off the chair and admired his handiwork, hanging from the lintel of the kitchen door. "It's mistletoe."</span>
</p><p>
  <b>Okay. You are one for two.</b>
</p><p>
  <span>"During Christmas you're supposed to kiss someone if you walk under it together."</span>
</p><p>
  <b>We are always together.</b>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie grinned. "Exactly."</span>
</p><p>
  <b>If you want to kiss me, you could just ask.</b>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie’s grin slipped. "Well, I thought this was cuter, but you don't have to I guess." </span>
</p><p>
  <b>Sure, </b>
  <span>Venom said, sounding more amused than annoyed.</span>
  <b> But why this plant? At least the other plants smell good. </b>
  <span>Their eyes twitched to the pine branches on the windowsill.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie shrugged. "It's just superstition. I think it used to be sacred or something."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie stood in the door to the kitchen blinking blearily. "What is that and why is it over our door?"</span>
</p><p>
  <b>It is lichen. </b>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you sure? It looks like a piece of tape covered in bits of dirt."</span>
</p><p>
  <b>I had a hard time scraping it off the fire escape last night.</b>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie suspected that what Venom had found on the fire escape was a patch of flaking rust, but he kept it to himself. "What happened to the mistletoe?"</span>
</p><p>
  <b>I threw it out the window. Mistletoe is a parasite. Why would you celebrate love under a parasitic plant?</b>
</p><p>
  <span>"What? Plants can't be parasites." </span>
</p><p>
  <b>Can too, </b>
  <span>Venom said like a first grader.</span>
  <b> Mistletoe grows roots inside trees and steals their nutrients.</b>
</p><p>
  <span>God it was too early in the morning for this. Eddie needed coffee. "It's got leaves. It can eat sunlight. Why would it need to do that?"</span>
</p><p>
  <b>Because it is selfish and bad. Are you arguing with Wikipedia?</b>
</p><p>
  <span>"No." Eddie sighed as he headed into the kitchen. "So why lichen? Was it the only plant you could find?"</span>
</p><p>
  <b>It is not a plant. It is a symbiosis.</b>
</p><p>
  <span>"With what, rocks?" Eddie fumbled with the coffee maker.</span>
</p><p><b>No, it </b><b><em>is</em></b><b> a symbiosis.</b> <b>It is algae or bacteria mixed with fungus. And possibly yeast. And possibly another fungus. </b></p><p>
  <span>"Okay. Fun fact, I guess. Why is it hanging over our door?" </span>
</p><p><b>It is a </b><b><em>four-way</em></b> <b><em>symbiosis, </em></b><b>Eddie. It is inspirational. And romantic.</b></p><p>
  <span>Eddie stopped. "...Are you trying to tell me you want a four-way?"</span>
</p><p>
  <b>You are missing the point.</b>
</p><p>
  <span>…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is this fly tape? It's the dead of winter."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, that is the Inspirational Symbiotic Kissing Lichen," Eddie said resignedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Anne squinted at the dirty bit of tape dangling from the top of the door. "What?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Lichens are symbiotes, so Venom has decided they are more romantic than mistletoe, which is a parasite."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, that makes sense."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It does?" Venom's tendril emerged to wack Eddie on the head. Eddie rolled his eyes. "I mean of course it does. Dirty tape is great for kissing." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Anne laughed. "Why not just go to the park and get a stick with some lichen on it? It'd look nicer."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay, the toilet should be good. I tested it and it's flushin' fine. Uh, but before I go, I gotta ask, why is there a stick over your door?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie glanced at the twig, furry with mint-green lichen, which was taped to the lintel. "Christmas."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, you pagan or somethin'?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I wish," Eddie said, laughing awkwardly. God, please let him not ask follow-up questions.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>What is pagan? Do they like sticks? Can we be pagan, Eddie? </b>
  <span>He should've known Venom would be the one with follow-up questions.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I don't know, love, I guess they like sticks? I'm pretty sure they're the ones who started mistletoe.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>FUCK THEM.</b>
  
</p>
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